A former health boss was paid £100,000 in 'bonuses' at a hospital that is being investigated for high death rates.
Dr Stephen Morgan received two annual £50,000 payments, according to the accounts at Basildon Hospital, Essex - on top of basic pay of £55,000 as medical director and a consultant salary of £110,000.
Details of his pay came as it was revealed yesterday that there are thought to have been 2,452 'excess deaths' at the hospital in the past decade.
Dr Stephen Morgan, a former health boss was paid £100,000 in 'bonuses' at a hospital that is being investigated for high death rates
The figure was revealed as part of the hospital’s statement of accounts for 2010/11 and 2011/2012, which also showed seven senior managers at the hospital were paid salaries of more than £100,000 for both financial years.
The figures have been revealed at a time when Basildon and Thurrock NHS Trust is being investigated for high death rates in the wake of the Stafford Hospital scandal.
The hospital has said the payments are not director’s bonuses, but Clinical Excellence Awards (CEA) - which are given to 'recognise exceptional contribution over and above that normally expected in a job.'
A statement added: 'These are payments made to doctors on the instructions of the Department of Health, following a rigorous competitive process.
'He has not left the Trust to go into private practice but is an NHS consultant and Clinical Lead for Renal Services in south west Essex and it is for this work, and his role in helping establish the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre, that he receives CEA.
'Dr Morgan single-handedly founded our renal services in 1995 which is now the largest in Essex.
'Previously renal patients had to travel to London hospitals for dialysis. The Renal Unit has a reputation for excellent care and receives high satisfaction ratings from patients.
He received two annual £50,000 payments, according to the accounts at Basildon Hospital, Essex, (pictured)
'CEAs are an element of doctors’ pay, not a director’s bonus, but HM Treasury requires them to be entered under bonuses in the table of directors’ remuneration in the annual accounts.'
Eleanor McGrath, campaign manager for Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers will be shocked by these figures, particularly following recent reports of the hospital’s failings.'
Dr Morgan left his post at the hospital last September.
Basildon Hospital is one of 14 trusts being invested across the country over death rates between July 2010 and July 2012.
The hospital trust said it was working hard to improve its mortality ratio performance.
A spokesman said: 'The figures published in the press over the weekend have not been given to us by the Department of Health or Dr Foster.
Details of his pay came as it was revealed that there are thought to have been 2,452 'excess deaths' at the hospital in the past decade
'However, official mortality figures relating to July 2010- June 2012, released by The Information Centre for Health and Social Care, show the Trust’s mortality rates as being higher than expected the figures are still within expected limits for our demographic.
'In a bid to reduce this figure further a Hospital Mortality Group meets every fortnight to discuss and act on specific diagnostic groups where HSMR/SHMI are high and to monitor a mortality reduction programme action plan.
'In addition all hospital deaths are now reviewed to see if there are any deficiencies in care.'Dr Morgan was unavailable for comment when contacted by the Mail Online.